Written Answers Tuesday 4 September 2007

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that completion of the North Clyde Development Route will enhance accessibility to proposed Commonwealth Games venues.

Stewart Stevenson: The North Clyde Development Route is intended to provide a gateway route from West Dunbartonshire to Western Glasgow and open up development/regeneration opportunities for West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City Council areas on the north bank of the Clyde.

  The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee will devise a games transport plan which will set out how the existing and proposed transport infrastructure around games venues will support the games and will provide details of operational transport proposals, including transport services for athletes, officials and media and a comprehensive spectator access strategy for each venue.

Air Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional passengers used the 10 airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in the first year of operation of the Air Discount Scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: In the period May 2005 to April 2006, a total of 1,168,021 passengers used Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd’s 10 airports. In the Air Discount Scheme’s first year of operation, May 2006 to April 2007, this figure had risen to 1,239,938, an increase of 6%.

Animal Welfare

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions involving the mistreatment of animals have been deserted by procurators fiscal in each jurisdiction in each of the last five years.

Right Hon Elish Angiolini QC: There are a large number of offences which may involve the mistreatment of animals. In some cases, the same charge may also cover other conduct which does not involve such mistreatment.

  The information held in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database is held at charge level and it is not therefore possible to identify separately within the database all and only those charges that actually involved the mistreatment of animals.

  The information provided in this answer therefore relates solely to eight of the most commonly used charges where the charge necessarily involves the mistreatment of animals. The charges in question are:

  

Act/Section
Description of Offence


Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, Section 1
Cause unnecessary suffering


Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Section 19(1)
Cause a protected animal unnecessary suffering


Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Section 19(2)
Cause a protected animal unnecessary suffering by act or omission


Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912, Section 1(1)(a)and(2)
Owner fail to provide adequate care


Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912, Section 1(1)(a)
Cruelly treat an animal


Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912, Section 1(1)(a)and(2)
Wantonly or unreasonably ill treat an animal


Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912, Section 1(1)(a)
Owner did cause unnecessary suffering to an animal


Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Section 1(1)(a)
Intentionally or recklessly kill/injure/take a wild bird



  The following table shows the number of cases where court proceedings in respect of such charges were deserted simpliciter or where court proceedings were initiated but subsequently discontinued.

  Statutory Charges: Proceedings Deserted or Discontinued

  

Charge Outcome
Area
FY 2002-03
FY 2003-04
FY 2004-05
FY 2005-06
FY 2006-07


Deserted Simpliciter
Dumfries and Galloway
1
0
0
0
0


 
Glasgow
0
0
1
0
0


 
Lanarkshire
0
1
6
4
0


Deserted Simpliciter Total 
1
1
7
4
0


No Further Proceedings
Argyll and Clyde
0
0
2
5
2


 
Ayrshire
4
1
2
1
0


 
Central
2
0
1
1
0


 
Dumfries and Galloway
1
0
0
2
0


 
Fife
4
0
0
0
0


 
Glasgow
4
3
3
1
0


 
Grampian
1
2
0
0
1


 
Highland and Islands
2
5
0
0
2


 
Lanarkshire
1
1
1
4
0


 
Lothian and Borders
1
3
1
5
6


 
Tayside
1
2
1
1
4


No Further Proceedings Total 
21
17
11
20
15



  Notes:

  1. The information in this table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Case Management Database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency the database will record details only of the amended charge.

  2. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

  3. The table reflects the position at 20 August 2007.

Birds

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a financial inducement scheme for people who have successful eagle and harrier nests on their land.

Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage has given consideration to the possibility of providing financial incentives based on hen harrier breeding success but has concluded that the incentives available through its Natural Care upland and moorland management schemes represent a more practical approach to encouraging land managers to maintain and improve habitat management on protected sites to support all bird interests including raptors.

Bridges

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what average number of vehicles per day used the (a) Skye, (b) Erskine, (c) Tay and (d) Forth road bridges in each year since 1980.

Stewart Stevenson: Information on the total number of crossings each year, and the average number per day, is given in the following table, in terms of thousands of vehicle crossings. More detailed figures are available in the annual publication Scottish Transport Statistics, copies of which may be obtained from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  

 
Skye Bridge
Erskine Bridge
Tay Road Bridge4
Forth Road Bridge5


Full Year
Average
  Per Day
Full Year
Average
  Per Day
Full Year
Average
  Per Day
Full Year
Average Per Day


1980
 
 
4,245
12
4,947
14
10,774
29


1981
 
 
4,079
11
4,807
13
10,982
30


1982
 
 
3,756
10
4,873
13
11,444
31


1983
 
 
4,047
11
5,102
14
11,675
32


1984
 
 
4,327
12
5,211
14
12,001
33


1985
 
 
4,436
12
5,192
14
12,397
34


1986
 
 
4,802
13
5,370
15
12,236
34


1987
 
 
5,526
15
5,628
15
13,497
37


1988
 
 
5,751
16
5,933
16
14,705
40


1989
 
 
6,368
17
6,269
17
15,839
43


1990
 
 
6,748
18
6,694
18
16,585
45


1991
 
 
7,077
19
6,720
18
16,922
46


1992
 
 
6,764
18
6,946
19
17,802
49


1993
 
 
6,809
19
6,944
19
18,177
50


1994
 
 
6,865
19
7,198
20
18,994
52


1995
78
1
7,401
20
7,414
20
19,540
54


1996
612
2
6,622
18
7,534
21
20,374
56


1997
627
2
7,420
20
7,656
21
21,078
58


1998
656
2
7,966
22
7,778
21
20,782
57


1999
665
2
8,230
23
7,920
22
21,868
60


2000
675
2
8,695
24
8,074
22
22,168
61


2001
666
2
8,881
24
8,184
22
22,608
62


2002
718
2
9,480
26
8,414
23
23,374
64


2003
756
2
9,677
27
8,684
24
24,010
66


2004
769
2
10,078
28
8,929
24
23,562
64


2005
1,182
3
10,007
27
8,942
24
23,810
65


2006
1,227
3
11,438
31
8,868
24
23,682
65



  Source: Figures are taken from Scottish Transport Statistics, Numbers 11, 19 and 25 - Table 4 on Toll Bridges. Traffic figures are reported in thousands.

  Notes:

  1. The Skye Bridge opened on 16 October 1995.

  2. Tolling at the Skye Bridge ended on 21 December 2004.

  3. Tolling at the Erskine Bridge ended on 31 March 2006.

  4. Responsibility for the Tay Road Bridge lies with the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.

  5. Responsibility for the Forth Road Bridge lies with the Forth Estuary Transport Authority.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to develop and promote a strategy for achieving net zero carbon buildings.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  The constitution of an Expert Panel that will meet this September has been announced. Revisions to the energy standards in Scottish building regulations will be kick-started by this meeting and the plans for developing and promoting a strategy for achieving net zero carbon buildings will be on the agenda.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to achieve a significant cut in expected carbon emissions from new buildings and what scale of reduction ministers would regard as significant.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  The constitution of an expert panel that will meet this September has been announced. Revisions to the energy standards in Scottish building regulations will be kick-started by this meeting and the target figure for a significant cut in expected carbon emissions from new buildings will be on the agenda. The panel will advise ministers of the appropriate scale of reduction.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to further the use of micro generation and low and zero carbon technologies.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  The constitution of an expert panel that will meet this September has been announced. Revisions to the energy standards in Scottish building regulations will be kick-started by this meeting and the issue of mandatory low and zero carbon technologies, such as micro-renewables, will be on the agenda.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to complete implementation of the EU directive on the energy performance of buildings.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  all legislation required for the implementation of the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) came into force on 1 May 2007;

  Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have been introduced for all new buildings, and will be phased in for all buildings which are to be sold or rented out and for public buildings by 4 January 2009;

  the option of provision of advice on boilers rather than inspection has been selected and an equivalence report will be issued in January 2008, and

  the inspections of air conditioning equipment will start from January 2009.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to introduce better standards to prevent noise nuisance.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  A Building Standards Advisory Committee working group has now been set up and is in the process of reviewing the standards and guidance. Public consultation is programmed for February 2008.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to improve means of escape from fire.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  Work is ongoing through a Building Standards Advisory Committee working group which is examining the existing means of escape provisions to ensure that the guidance remains appropriate and effective.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to increase compliance with building standards.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  It has been agreed to establish a Building Standards Advisory Committee working group to consider issues relating to compliance with building standards.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to improve verification of building standards.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:

  The SBSA intends to continue its programme of auditing the effectiveness of local authority verifiers with particular regard both to their individually agreed balanced scorecards and also representations made to the agency by users of the system.

Building Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-94 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 May 2007, what additional information can be provided about its plans to improve the dissemination of information and service to stakeholders.

Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  The SBSA will continue to fulfil its role as a national centre of excellence by the publication of Technical Handbooks, guidance and advice; the appointment and auditing of certifiers of design and construction; the improvement of verification and partnership working with professional bodies and key stakeholders to agree joint protocols; collaborative research and shared educational programmes.

Cancer

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the treatment of bowel cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Bowel Cancer Framework Group (SBCFG) has provided strategic advice and guidance to deliver the actions set out in the Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change Bowel Cancer Framework and, in particular, a co-ordinated approach across symptomatic and screening services to implement bowel cancer screening. A protocol was developed to assist primary care clinicians recognise, not only those presenting with high-risk features and who may require an urgent referral to a specialist service, but also individuals presenting with low risk features and who may be able to be managed appropriately in another setting. This protocol has been widely circulated and is also included in the revised Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer , published on 5 February 2007, under cover of NHS HDL(2007)9.

  The Scottish Bowel Cancer Screening Programme was formally announced in March 2007 with a national implementation plan which will see all NHS boards involved by 2009-10. NHS Ayrshire and Arran is due to start local implementation during September 2007. Men and women aged 50 to 74 will be invited to participate every two years and it is anticipated that when fully operational the programme will result in an additional 150 lives being saved each year.

  The national Diagnostics Project has invested £50 million across a range of services, including upgrading endoscopy facilities. Additional non-medical endoscopists are also being trained and in addition, £5 million was made available over two years from the Diagnostics Collaborative Programme to support local service redesign.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is currently reviewing and updating the bowel cancer service clinical standards developed by the then Clinical Standards Board for Scotland in 2001.

Cancer

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence is of cancer, broken down by age group, and what comparative information it has for (a) the United Kingdom as a whole, (b) each EU member state and (c) each OECD nation.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3483 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Data on cancer incidence in Scotland are available by age group and year (1980 to 2004) on the Information Services Division website at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/cancer_all_types_inc.xls.

  (a) Comparative data on cancer incidence in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland (2002-04) are available on the website of the Office of National Statistics at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/UK_inc_mort_charts_tables2002_04.xls,

  The Cancer Atlas of the United Kingdom and Ireland 1991-2000 at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14059.

  (b) Comparative data on cancer incidence in Scotland and each EU member state are held in the Scotland and European Health for All (HfA) Database, which can be accessed from the website of the Scottish Public Health Observatory at:http://www.scotpho.org.uk/web/site/home/Comparativehealth/InternationalComparisons/Scotland_and_European_HfA.asp  (see indicators Morbidity, disability and hospital discharges).

  (c) Data on cancer incidence worldwide are held by CANCERMondial in two databases: GLOBOCAN 2002 and CI5 I-VIII. GLOBOCAN2002 contains estimates of cancer incidence for all the countries of the world, although data for the four constituent countries of the UK are not included separately. The database CI5 I-VIII contains cancer incidence data collected by cancer registries worldwide, including Scotland, although not aggregated to country level.

  Both of these databases can be accessed from the website of CANCERMondial at http://www-dep.iarc.fr/.

Cancer

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the death rate was from cancer in each year since 1980.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3479 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Trends in cancer mortality over time are best interpreted using European Age Standardised Rates (EASR). EASR ensure that differences observed do not simply reflect variations in the age structure of the populations being compared. This is important when considering rates of cancer, because cancer is a disease that predominantly affects the elderly.

  EASR for cancer are published by the Information Services Division (ISD) at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1508.html. (See Annual Mortality at the bottom of the page.)

  The published table includes data for 1980-2005. These tables will be updated with 2006 data in September 2007.

Cancer

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the two-month waiting time target for cancer patients to be diagnosed and treated is met in Lanarkshire.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have made clear that I expect all NHS boards in Scotland to deliver the target of starting first treatment for at least 95% of cancer patients within 62 days of urgent referral by the end of this year. Boards are primarily responsible for achieving the target for the benefit of patients in their areas. The fact that some boards are already meeting the target in some tumour specific services shows that the target is achievable.

  As I announced on 29 May 2007, the Health Directorates’ Cancer Performance Support Team is assisting NHS Lanarkshire, and other NHS boards with particular delivery challenges, in improving cancer waiting times performance. A performance action plan has been produced by NHS Lanarkshire and is being implemented with support from the team.

Care of Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing considered the outcome of the Social Work Inspection Agency report for Argyll and Bute Council’s social work services before arriving at her decision to close the Jeanie Deans Unit in Helensburgh and, if so, whether she is satisfied that nothing in the report indicates any concerns over resources, capacity or quality of services for older people.

Nicola Sturgeon: I considered all available information in coming to a view on NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council’s proposals to redesign older people’s services in Helensburgh and Lomond. I am aware that the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA) are carrying out a programmed performance inspection of Argyll and Bute Council and that the report is due to be published in October.

  SWIA inspection reports set out clear recommended actions for local authorities and these should address any concerns that there might be regarding sustainable alternative services. However, I would stress that both NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council have committed themselves to providing the required community based services which will be enhanced by the resources released through the closure of Jeannie Deans Unit.

Care of Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the resources released by the closure of the Jeanie Deans Unit in Helensburgh will be used.

Nicola Sturgeon: The resources released from the closure of continuing care inpatient beds at the Jeannie Deans will be used to develop and enhance community care services that will improve access to local services enabling older people to stay within their homes for as long as possible. These include preventative, anticipatory and rehabilitative care; increased rapid intervention to prevent admission and support early discharge, and increased access to respite and day care.

Care of Elderly People

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of resources will be released by the closure of the Jeanie Deans Unit in Helensburgh and whether those resources will be wholly spent in Helensburgh and Lomond.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Highland have informed me that resources of approximately £700,000 will be released by the closure of the Jeannie Deans Unit. The allocation of these resources is a matter for NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council.

Central Heating

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications under the central heating programme have been received by Scottish Gas since it was awarded the contract in October 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Programme Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 31,720 applications have been received since October 2006.

Central Heating

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications under the central heating programme have resulted in the installation of central heating and subsidiary works since Scottish Gas was awarded the contract in October 2006, broken down into (a) oil, (b) gas, (c) electric and (d) solid fuel systems.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The number of central heating systems installed, by fuel type, since October 2006 until July 2007 is shown in the following table:

  

Type of Heating System
Number Installed


Gas
6,176


Electric
263


Oil
157


Solid Fuel
0


Total
6,596

Central Heating

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many sub-contractors have been employed by Scottish Gas to carry out installations under the central heating programme and what percentage of the value of all work under the programme since 1 October 2006 has been carried out by sub-contractors.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Programme Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that 87 contractors have been engaged to carry out installations under the central heating programme with 96% of the value of all the work being undertaken by those contractors.

Central Heating

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is that sub-contractors employed by Scottish Gas under the central heating programme take between being issued with work specifications and completion of the work.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Programme Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that contractors take around ten days from being issued with specifications to completion of the work.

Central Heating

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the Western Isles parliamentary constituency have waited for longer than two months for central heating to be installed following their initial application to the central heating programme since Scottish Gas was awarded the contract in October 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Information is not held by parliamentary constituency, but by main postcode area.

  The programme managing agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that, in the HS postcode area 133 householders have been waiting longer than two months following their initial application to the central heating programme.

Central Heating

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in the Western Isles parliamentary constituency under the central heating programme since Scottish Gas was awarded the contract in October 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Information is not held by parliamentary constituency, but by main postcode area.

  The Programme Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that, in the HS postcode area, 15 central heating systems have been installed since October 2006 until the end of July 2007.

Central Heating

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating systems have been installed in the Western Isles parliamentary constituency under the central heating programme when Eaga held the contract.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Information is not held by parliamentary constituency, but by main postcode area.

  The central heating programme was introduced in September 2001 and was managed by Eaga Partnership until September 2006. In that time Eaga installed 1,117 central heating systems in the HS postcode area.

Child Welfare

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many minutes of agreement containing provisions relating wholly or partly to the aliment of a child or children have been registered in the Books of Council and Session each year since 2000.

Jim Mather: This information is not collected. Minutes of Agreement may be registered in the Books of Council and Session by Registers of Scotland. The Books of Council and Session are held by the National Archives of Scotland. Registered Minutes of Agreement can be searched by name but there is no provision for searching by content topic.

Communities

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to devolve power from local authorities to community level.

John Swinney: We have begun consulting stakeholders, through the Community Council Working Group, on developing the role of community councils as an existing, statutory, representative body at community level. This includes inviting the group to consider defining some potential, expanded roles that community councils could play.

Communities

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to devolve budgets from local authorities to community level.

John Swinney: We have begun consulting stakeholders, through the Community Council Working Group, on developing the role of community councils as an existing statutory representative body at community level. This includes identifying pilots for supporting community councils in having some control over existing spending in their area to meet specific local priorities.

Communities

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enhance the powers of community councils.

John Swinney: We have begun consulting stakeholders, through the Community Council Working Group, on developing the role of community councils. This will include identifying pilots for supporting community councils to play a greater role in Community Planning and also for allowing them to have some control over existing spending in their area to meet specific local priorities.

Council Tax

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether members of the armed forces serving overseas are required to pay council tax on empty properties on the same basis as the owners of holiday homes in Scotland.

John Swinney: Members of the armed forces serving overseas are treated the same for council tax purposes as any other citizen. This means that if they own an empty property in Scotland, it will be exempt from council tax for up to six months. If it is still empty after that, it becomes liable for 50% council tax for a further six months. If it is still empty after 12 months in total, it then becomes liable for council tax in accordance with the policy of the local authority, i.e. for between 50 to 90% of the full council tax liability for that property.

  The Scottish government continues to support work at a UK-level following the then Prime Minister’s announcement in October 2006 that the UK Government would look into providing support for the council tax costs of service personnel on operations overseas. Discussions between officials from the Department of Communities and local government and the Ministry of Defence, which also involve officials from the Scottish Executive, are on-going.

Council Tax

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to allow council tax reductions for single occupancy to be claimed by householders who have partners posted overseas on military service.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government continues to support work at a UK-level following the then Prime Minister’s announcement in October 2006 that the UK Government would look into providing support for the council tax costs of service personnel on operations overseas. Discussions between officials from the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Defence, which also involve officials from the Scottish Executive, are on-going.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop more drug treatment services on a holistic social care rather than medical model.

Kenny MacAskill: The quality of provision expected from all services treating people with drug or alcohol problems is set out in the National Quality Standards for Substance Misuse Services . These standards include careful assessment and an individual personal plan with regular review. The standards state that an individual’s assessed needs should be met, even if a particular service cannot provide them, by seeking a referral to a service designed to meet those specific needs.

Drug Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its current estimates are of drug use in Scotland, broken down by category of drug and identifying numbers of problem drug users.

Fergus Ewing: The estimated level of drug use in Scotland by category of drug is not held centrally.

  For estimated numbers of problem drug users (opiates and/or benzodiazepines only) in Scotland in 2000 and 2003, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3089 on 28 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Drug Misuse

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence is of heroin addiction, broken down by age group, and what comparative information it has for (a) the United Kingdom as a whole, (b) each EU member state and (c) each OECD nation.

Fergus Ewing: For estimated numbers of problem drug users (opiates and/or benzodiazepines only) in Scotland in 2000 and 2003, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3089 on 28 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Comparative information for the United Kingdom, EU member states and OECD nations is not held centrally. Prevalence information on the use of opiate drugs internationally is available in the United Nations 2007 World Drug Report, Chapter 3, Statistical Annex, Section 3.5: Consumption: http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/wdr07/WDR_2007_3.5.1_annual_prevalence.pdf.

Dyslexia

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to ensure wider understanding in society of dyslexia.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government recognises that people with dyslexia can be covered by the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act. While we have no plans at present for any specific initiatives to ensure wider understanding in society of dyslexia, our work on disability equality is inclusive of all forms of disability.

  In addition, the Scottish Government, through Learning Connections, has provided funding to Dyslexia Scotland to organise the first Scottish adult dyslexia conference due to take place in Stirling on 27 October 2007. This conference is intended for tutors and trainers (particularly from literacy work and the STUC) and for adults with dyslexia. This will help to increase understanding of dyslexia within adult literacy and numeracy.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish this year’s estimate of the size of Scotland’s transport carbon footprint.

Stewart Stevenson: Carbon emissions from all sources, including transport, are published annually in Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  (GHGI). The most recent publication covers emissions between 1990 and 2004, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42395). The next publication will cover 1990 to 2005 and, whilst a precise date is yet to be confirmed, is expected to be published in September 2007.

  The Executive is also undertaking work to produce a Carbon Balance Sheet for transport in Scotland. In addition to the data from the GHGI, this will report the incremental carbon emissions impact of all significant policies, projects and programmes implemented since 2004. It is anticipated that a first version of this will be published during 2008.

Environment

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to publish its detailed site investigation of the former Ravenscraig steel works in Motherwell

Michael Russell: Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has not undertaken a detailed site investigation of the Ravenscraig Steel works site. However, SEPA is aware that third party site investigations have been carried out by previous and current site owners and some of these have been submitted to North Lanarkshire Council Planning department in support of planning applications for the site.

European Union

Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantees it has that an independent Scotland would be permitted to remain in the European Union, as referred to in section 3.21 of Choosing Scotland’s Future: a National Conversation .

Linda Fabiani: Paragraph 3.21 of Choosing Scotland’s Future reflects the government’s assessment of the negotiations on the terms of an independent Scotland’s membership of the European Union.

Fair Trade

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will actively support the promotion and development of fair trade.

Linda Fabiani: As stated in the answer to question S3W-2899 on 7 August 2007, this Scottish Government is committed to Trade Justice and will continue to support the drive to make Scotland a Fair Trade nation, based on meaningful and substantial measures. We will do this through continued support for the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, who represent the key organisations and individuals who can make this a reality.

Fire Service

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on fire and rescue services’ staff were reported in each year since 1990, broken down by fire and rescue service area.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.

Fire Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Strathclyde Fire and Rescue has received from the Capital Investment Fund in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service has received capital funding from the Fire Central Government budget as follows:

  

Year
£ Million


2004-05
7,720,992


2005-06
8,790,000


2006-07
7,891,000


2007-08
8,245,000

Health

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on doctors in the workplace were reported in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not collected centrally in the form requested. However, with the development of the Scottish Workforce Information Statistical System (SWISS) this kind of information will be available in the future.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to deliver more flexible access to health services.

Nicola Sturgeon: Flexible access to health services forms part of the discussion framework set out in Better Health, Better Care which the Scottish Government published on 16 August 2007.

  Better Health, Better Care invites open discussion about the Scottish Government’s priorities for health and wellbeing in Scotland and the best means to achieve them. It describes the building blocks of our approach and demonstrates our commitment to engagement and involvement in everything we do.

  The outcome of the Better Health, Better Care discussion exercise will shape the action plan that we will publish in December 2007. This will be a detailed plan, with a timetable for action for NHSScotland at national, regional and local level, as well as a series of commitments from our key delivery partners.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers accept responsibility for ensuring that the Scottish Housing Quality Standard is met by 2015 throughout Scotland.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has the responsibility for setting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and setting the timetable for completion. However, it is for individual social landlords throughout Scotland to ensure that it is met in full by 2015.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2534 by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007, when ministers expect to receive a standard delivery plan from West Dunbartonshire Council and what steps are being taken to assist the council in finalising its proposals.

Stewart Maxwell: West Dunbartonshire Council is expected to submit its Standard Delivery Plan (SDP) in December 2007. The SDP should set out how the council will bring its housing stock up to the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by the 2015 target date. Communities Scotland will assess the proposals and provide feedback to the council by spring 2008.

  In the meantime, Communities Scotland is assisting West Dunbartonshire Council with key pieces of commissioned research that will feed into the council’s forthcoming SDP. These essential building blocks include an in-depth analysis of affordable housing supply and demand in the area and a comprehensive review of the council’s asset management challenges and options.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2534 by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007, how ministers will ensure that the people of West Dunbartonshire are not disadvantaged because of lack of investment in housing pending decisions on the future management of council housing stock.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  It is recognised that West Dunbartonshire Council will not be in a position to reach a decision on the future management of its housing stock until later this financial year.

  In order to ensure an on-going housing investment programme pending a decision by West Dunbartonshire Council, Communities Scotland is in discussion with the council with a view to agreeing selective land/transfers that will ensure that the regeneration momentum achieved in key areas is maintained.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions can be applied by Communities Scotland to registered social landlords that fail to offer accommodation to homeless applicants referred to them by local authorities under section 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and under what circumstances such sanctions would be applied.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

  Her response is as follows:

  Where a registered social landlord (RSL) does not comply with a request to provide housing for a homeless person within a reasonable period or has no good reason for not complying with the request, and the RSL and the local authority are unable to reach agreement, the local authority and the RSL must appoint an arbiter to determine the issue. If the local authority and the RSL cannot agree who to appoint as the arbiter, Communities Scotland, as regulator, must, on request of the local authority, appoint an arbiter.

  If an RSL fails to implement an arbiter’s decision Communities Scotland may use the powers contained in section 71 of the 2001 act to appoint a manager to the RSL to ensure that an arbiter’s decision is enforced. The RSL’s overall approach to meeting its obligations towards homeless persons can also be reviewed, if this is required.

International Relations

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement made by the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on 23 August 2007, when the additional funding for international development will be made available to Scottish non-governmental organisations and charities.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the announcement by the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture of 23 August 2007 regarding the level of the overseas aid budget means that the fund will be increased to £9 million from 2008-09 and, if not, what the profile of the funding increase will be for each year up to and including 2011-12.

Linda Fabiani: The increased budget for the International Development Fund will be made available in the context of discussions with Scottish Aid Agencies on the future direction of the policy and as part of the on-going Spending Review.

International Relations

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to decide which additional African countries to provide with aid.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to decide how to disburse its international aid budget.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has invited Scottish Aid Agencies to contribute to a discussion on the future of its International Development Policy and International Development Fund. We will consider their expert advice and use that to inform our decisions.

International Relations

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the announcement by the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture on 23 August 2007 regarding the level of the overseas aid budget fulfils the commitment outlined in The First 100 Days of an SNP Government that the aid budget would be increased by 100% in its first budget as distinct from announcing an intention to increase the budget by 2011.

Linda Fabiani: Our commitment states "We will convene a meeting of Scotland’s aid agencies to ensure Scotland’s overseas aid policy meets the needs of those in greatest need of support and in our first Budget for Scotland the SNP will increase Scotland’s International Development budget by 100%." That is exactly what I announced on 23 August 2007.

International Relations

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will work with aid agencies in Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: I met with the Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland and the Scotland-Malawi Partnership on 23 August 2007 to invite them to contribute to the discussion on the future of our International Development Policy. As stated in the answer to question S3W-3300 on 27 August 2007, my officials and I will continue to meet with aid agencies to discuss international development as required.

International Relations

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it is making to the eight millennium development goals agreed by the United Nations.

Linda Fabiani: The future direction of the Scottish Government’s International Development Policy - and the way in which the increased International Development Fund is distributed - will be informed by the expert views of Scotland’s Aid Agencies. This will ensure it is focused on ways in which we can contribute to achieving the millennium development goals.

Justice

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of custodial sentences it expects to shift towards community based non-custodial sentences; what the annual cost will be of any increase in the number of community based sentences; what the savings in terms of reduced prison costs will be from any increase in the number of community based punishments, and what additional funding will be transferred to those agencies who deliver community based sentences.

Kenny MacAskill: It is a matter for the judge in each particular case to consider the appropriate sentence, having regard to the nature of the offence, the offender and any other relevant circumstances. It is for the Scottish Government to ensure that the courts have a good range of effective sentencing options available to them. The review of community sentences, announced to Parliament during the "Safer and Stronger" debate on 6 June 2007, is therefore examining how we can reform and revitalise community sentences to offer better alternatives to short term prison sentences in terms of rehabilitating offenders and reducing reoffending. The review is expected to report in the autumn. The 2007 Spending Review will determine the financial settlement for local authority criminal justice social work for the three years commencing next April. Decisions will be announced to the Parliament when that exercise is concluded.

Justice

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether allegations about Gerard Sinclair, Chief Executive of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission and temporary sheriff, that were published in The Sun on 14 August 2007 have been authenticated and, if so, whether it considers him to be a suitable person to continue to hold these posts.

Kenny MacAskill: The reported incident occurred in 2001 at a private function attended by Mr Sinclair in a personal capacity while he was in private employment. Mr Sinclair has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission since 1 July 2003 and has held an appointment as a part time sheriff since 1 July 2006. I believe he is an entirely suitable person to hold both posts.

Land

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in identifying its surplus assets; what plans it has to dispose of these assets, and how much money such disposal will raise.

John Swinney: I have asked Jim Mackinnon, the chief planner, to oversee a review of the government estate in Scotland. The review will report to me with recommendations by the end of December 2007, and will identify the scope for improvements to be made to the current arrangements, including the scope for disposal of surplus land and buildings.

Local Government

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any central guidance is provided to local authorities on the establishment of local area committees.

John Swinney: Whilst all councils operate some formal scheme of delegation in their decision-making processes, there is no single model and councils are able to adopt a process which is best-suited to their individual circumstances. Councils may also make standing orders which deal with proceedings of their committees and sub-committees. No central guidance has been issued in respect of the establishment of local area committees.

NHS Staff

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults on nurses in the workplace were reported in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information is not collected centrally in the form requested. However, with the development of the Scottish Workforce Information Statistical System (SWISS) this kind of information will be available in the future.

NHS Staff

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of NHS physiotherapists.

Nicola Sturgeon: Board workforce plans published in April 2007 have predicted that the overall number of qualified physiotherapists is projected to increase by 6.9% over the next three years.

  There were 2,137.5 whole-time equivalent qualified Physiotherapists in NHSScotland at September 2006 and the numbers have been increasing by an average of 2.8% over the last five years.

New Year’s Day Trading

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its decision not to proceed with research into the impact of New Year’s Day trading on the Scottish economy, how often the working group established to commission the research met prior to this decision and who attended any meetings.

Kenny MacAskill: No working group to commission research into the impact of New Year’s Day was established.

New Year’s Day Trading

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultations took place with interested parties regarding the decision not to proceed with the research study on New Year’s Day trading and, if they did, when, where and how they took place.

Kenny MacAskill: No consultations took place regarding the Scottish Executive’s decision. The views of interested parties were evident throughout discussion of the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Bill.

New Year’s Day Trading

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it now intends to assess the economic impact, and the impact on family life, of large shops opening on New Year’s Day.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive has no plans to assess the economic impact and the impact on family life of large shops opening on New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Day Trading

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assess any evidence that shop workers are being required to work on New Year’s Day.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive has no plans to make an assessment of shop working on New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Day Trading

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to place any trading restrictions on shops and retail establishments in order to preserve the special nature and status of the New Year’s Day holiday in Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive has no plans to introduce restrictions on trading on New Year’s Day.

Planning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons a requirement for a minimum amount of open space in new developments was omitted from the revised version of a draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons proposals for statutory consultation if any new non-sporting green space is under threat were omitted from the revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the circulation of a revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 2007.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the revised draft consultation document on physical activity and open space, as reported in The Scotsman on 2 August 200, will be made public.

Stewart Stevenson: The draft Scottish Planning Policy 11: Physical Activity and Open Space (SPP 11) was published for consultation in August 2006. Following the consultation period, the responses were analysed, and a final draft has been in preparation in the light of the comments received.

  Given the length of time since the consultation period, it was felt appropriate to provide the SPP 11 stakeholder group with an up-to-date working draft of the document, with the changes made in response to the comments received, seeking their views. These views, along with the consultation responses, will be taken into account as the document is finalised for publication. No decisions have yet been taken on the final content of the document, and we do not intend to publish any working draft prior to the final version.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategic objectives it expects each strategic development planning authority to set in its corporate plans.

Stewart Stevenson: Under the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006, Strategic Development Planning Authorities (SDPAs) will have a duty to prepare Strategic Development Plans for their areas. It will be for each SDPA to set their own strategic objectives, in light of this requirement and national planning policy and advice. The Scottish Government is, however, keen to engage with SDPAs at an early stage in the plan preparation process to discuss the implications of national planning policy and advice for each area.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how ministers will ensure co-operative working between the Glasgow and Edinburgh city-region strategic development planning authorities to deliver sustainable economic growth in the central belt.

Stewart Stevenson: Glasgow and Edinburgh are two powerful engines for the growth of the Scottish economy. To maximise their success they need to compete together in the global marketplace and not against each other. Strategic planning is a powerful tool for co-ordinating the land and infrastructure required to deliver this growth.

  The first National Planning Framework (NPF) stressed the importance of the relationship between Glasgow and Edinburgh to Scotland’s long-term development. The second National Planning Framework (NPF2) provides the opportunity to take the city collaboration agenda forward, setting a national spatial planning context for the strategic development plans (SDPs) that will subsequently be published for the Glasgow and Edinburgh city-regions. The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 requires strategic development plan authorities (SDPAs) to take the NPF into account in preparing these plans.

  It will be for the SDPAs themselves to set their priorities and determine their detailed working arrangements, but close working between the two SDPAs for the Glasgow and Edinburgh city-regions will be encouraged. This will build on the ongoing work of the Glasgow-Edinburgh collaboration project, to which the Scottish government is contributing £800,000 from the Cities Growth Fund.

  The Scottish government will consult on the secondary legislation on development planning later this year. These regulations may be used to specify the information and considerations that SDPAs must have regard to when preparing SDPs and are likely to include a specific requirement for SDPAs to have regard to SDPs prepared for neighbouring areas.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers will set objectives for the Glasgow city-region strategic development planning authority and, if so, what objective they intend to set and, if not, what kinds of objectives ministers believe should be set by those responsible.

Stewart Stevenson: Under the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006, Strategic Development Planning Authorities (SDPAs) will be required to prepare a strategic development plan for their areas. It will be for each SDPA to set its objectives for delivering this requirement. The Scottish government is, however, keen to engage with SDPAs at an early stage in the plan preparation process to discuss the implications of national planning policy and advice for each area.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers support the introduction of a limited third-party right of appeal in planning matters and what limits on such a right of appeal they would support.

Stewart Stevenson: The Government intends to implement the provisions of the Planning Etc (Scotland) Act 2006 and has no plans to alter the arrangements on rights to appeal.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its top objectives are for the national planning system.

Stewart Stevenson: The primary objectives for the Scottish planning system are, as set out in SPP1 (Scottish Planning Policy 1: The Planning System),  to:

  set the land use framework for promoting sustainable economic development;

  encourage and support regeneration, and

  maintain and enhance the quality of the natural heritage and built environment.

  The passage of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 was the first step in a modernisation process aimed at creating a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable planning system that is fully fit for purpose. Efforts are now focussed on implementing the act and realising a change in culture among planning professionals and other stakeholders in the planning system. Priorities include the introduction of secondary legislation and policy to regulate and guide the revised working of the development planning and development management systems, and the preparation of the second National Planning Framework.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers are considering making changes to the national planning framework and, if so, what changes are under consideration.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish government is continuing to implement the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006.

  I would like to refer the member to the timetable for implementation of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 which is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/19143600/1.

  We are also updating the National Planning Framework and Scottish Planning Policies (SPPs) 1 The Planning System, 3 Planning for Housing, 6 Renewable Energy, 10 Planning and Waste, 11 Open Space, 14 Natural Heritage and 23 Historic Environment.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-95 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, whether it plans to make any modification to SPP1 (Scottish Planning Policy 1: The Planning System).

Stewart Stevenson: SPP1 will be reviewed to reflect the changes to the current planning system and support the introduction of the reformed system. The reformed system should come into force in 2008. The revised SPP1 will also set out the government’s aspirations for the planning system.

Police

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many assaults were reported in each year since 1990, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) police board area.

Fergus Ewing: The requested information is shown in the following tables. The figures are for total crimes of assault, which includes serious assaults, minor assaults and – since 2005 – minor assaults of an emergency worker.

  Number of Assaults Recorded by the Police, by Local Authority, 1990 to 1994

  

Local Authority
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994


Aberdeen City
2,653
2,654
2,533
2,637
2,996


Aberdeenshire
1,363
1,517
1,511
1,573
1,852


Angus
824
716
857
822
819


Argyll and Bute
631
637
641
635
715


City of Edinburgh
3,860
4,305
4,292
4,187
4,655


City of Glasgow
9,086
9,828
10,497
9,670
9,930


Clackmannanshire
478
420
421
511
536


Dumfries and Galloway
939
926
1,101
1,045
1,105


Dundee City
1,293
1,431
1,496
1,330
1,431


East Ayrshire
1,129
1,080
1,136
1,078
1,086


East Dunbartonshire
550
597
609
658
703


East Lothian
484
453
422
446
567


East Renfrewshire
352
377
467
439
506


Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
113
126
121
127
151


Falkirk
1,515
1,400
1,414
1,336
1,410


Fife
2,495
2,290
2,552
2,642
3,098


Highland
1,338
1,385
1,536
1,473
1,613


Inverclyde
804
863
812
834
995


Midlothian
616
609
658
592
646


Moray
793
812
767
789
864


North Ayrshire
1,222
1,359
1,365
1,217
1,177


North Lanarkshire
3,325
3,625
3,841
3,442
3,531


Orkney Islands
92
71
77
67
84


Perth and Kinross
892
946
935
891
913


Renfrewshire
1,600
1,702
1,879
1,681
1,974


Scottish Borders
537
567
501
479
589


Shetland Islands
81
84
100
94
92


South Ayrshire
748
745
786
869
896


South Lanarkshire
2,936
3,054
3,284
2,989
3,164


Stirling
645
606
617
675
769


West Dunbartonshire
902
1,010
950
977
994


West Lothian
1,044
1,124
1,127
933
1,139


Scotland
45,340
47,319
49,305
47,138
51,000



  Number of Assaults Recorded by the Police, by Local Authority, 1995-96 to 2006-07

  

Local Authority
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01


Aberdeen City
3,075
2,813
3,100
3,225
3,467
3,233


Aberdeenshire
1,818
1,734
1,672
1,718
1,907
1,875


Angus
933
818
908
1,014
1,012
842


Argyll and Bute
733
758
660
675
776
702


City of Edinburgh
5,164
5,990
7,060
7,143
7,629
7,789


City of Glasgow
9,950
9,864
10,018
10,630
11,867
11,624


Clackmannanshire
550
510
443
423
428
434


Dumfries and Galloway
1,339
1,382
1,496
1,561
1,401
1,239


Dundee City
1,418
1,572
1,577
1,885
2,177
2,046


East Ayrshire
1,252
1,191
1,117
1,274
1,409
1,212


East Dunbartonshire
777
746
751
708
564
617


East Lothian
578
637
829
864
1,086
896


East Renfrewshire
515
465
414
404
431
374


Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
138
199
171
154
138
151


Falkirk
1,522
1,336
1,256
1,429
1,579
1,533


Fife
3,330
3,313
3,279
3,214
3,506
3,528


Highland
1,779
1,886
1,931
2,146
1,857
2,017


Inverclyde
828
952
839
931
870
984


Midlothian
672
811
956
930
1,062
978


Moray
886
967
922
871
924
940


North Ayrshire
1,438
1,400
1,345
1,264
1,391
1,339


North Lanarkshire
3,606
3,378
3,107
3,215
3,228
3,405


Orkney Islands
96
91
101
120
101
80


Perth and Kinross
961
984
874
1,027
959
1,011


Renfrewshire
2,089
2,023
2,039
1,965
2,036
2,095


Scottish Borders
658
836
995
922
1,045
1,146


Shetland Islands
127
120
119
129
108
121


South Ayrshire
1,123
1,190
1,188
1,229
1,161
1,033


South Lanarkshire
3,176
2,756
2,888
2,766
2,991
2,783


Stirling
804
737
697
691
722
704


West Dunbartonshire
1,102
1,103
1,111
1,089
1,144
1,080


West Lothian
1,243
1,589
1,787
1,929
2,059
2,389


Scotland
53,680
54,151
55,650
57,545
61,035
60,200



  

Local Authority
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05 1
2005-06
2006-07


Aberdeen City
3,580
3,171
3,300
4,387
4,626
4,415


Aberdeenshire
1,811
1,594
1,596
2,271
2,425
2,442


Angus
1,281
1,214
1,315
975
1,154
1,409


Argyll and Bute
640
795
842
1,182
1,207
1,259


City of Edinburgh
7,409
6,382
6,202
7,821
7,469
8,591


City of Glasgow
12,001
12,406
12,514
15,218
14,647
15,001


Clackmannanshire
587
580
628
730
714
959


Dumfries and Galloway
1,272
1,524
2,127
2,231
1,939
2,132


Dundee City
2,070
2,142
2,268
1,864
2,298
2,877


East Ayrshire
1,426
1,322
1,142
2,158
1,740
1,841


East Dunbartonshire
607
575
589
945
867
848


East Lothian
860
770
709
786
779
993


East Renfrewshire
400
387
477
624
557
632


Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
120
179
197
308
323
346


Falkirk
1,706
1,728
1,891
2,097
1,923
2,085


Fife
3,710
3,985
4,264
5,919
5,637
5,982


Highland
2,240
2,291
2,426
2,971
2,874
3,303


Inverclyde
1,053
1,006
1,121
1,282
1,031
1,053


Midlothian
952
843
821
1,076
1,141
1,311


Moray
1,032
1,035
1,012
1,196
1,271
1,431


North Ayrshire
1,360
1,480
1,534
2,267
2,304
2,426


North Lanarkshire
3,670
3,794
4,203
5,758
5,485
5,539


Orkney Islands
87
84
116
107
158
118


Perth and Kinross
976
995
1,091
1,188
1,336
1,516


Renfrewshire
2,018
1,922
1,963
2,471
2,372
2,746


Scottish Borders
1,022
1,089
1,064
1,120
1,180
1,171


Shetland Islands
115
150
162
194
162
206


South Ayrshire
1,113
1,134
1,019
1,670
1,413
1,647


South Lanarkshire
2,931
2,972
3,230
4,201
3,942
4,119


Stirling
874
979
1,044
1,233
1,179
1,433


West Dunbartonshire
1,171
1,172
1,378
1,646
1,725
1,845


West Lothian
1,983
1,910
1,735
2,590
2,723
3,016


Scotland
62,077
61,610
63,980
80,486
78,601
84,692



  Number of Assaults Recorded by the Police, by Force, 1990 to 1994

  

Police Force
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994


Central
2,638
2,426
2,452
2,522
2,715


Dumfries and Galloway
939
926
1,101
1,045
1,105


Fife
2,495
2,290
2,552
2,642
3,098


Grampian
4,809
4,983
4,811
4,999
5,712


Lothian and Borders
6,541
7,058
7,000
6,637
7,596


Northern
1,624
1,666
1,834
1,761
1,940


Strathclyde
23,285
24,877
26,267
24,489
25,671


Tayside
3,009
3,093
3,288
3,043
3,163


Scotland
45,340
47,319
49,305
47,138
51,000



  Number of Assaults Recorded by the Police, by Force, 1995-96 to 2006-07

  

Police Force
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01


Central
2,876
2,583
2,396
2,543
2,729
2,671


Dumfries and Galloway
1,339
1,382
1,496
1,561
1,401
1,239


Fife
3,330
3,313
3,279
3,214
3,506
3,528


Grampian
5,779
5,514
5,694
5,814
6,298
6,048


Lothian and Borders
8,315
9,863
11,627
11,788
12,881
13,198


Northern
2,140
2,296
2,322
2,549
2,204
2,369


Strathclyde
26,589
25,826
25,477
26,150
27,868
27,248


Tayside
3,312
3,374
3,359
3,926
4,148
3,899


Scotland
53,680
54,151
55,650
57,545
61,035
60,200



  

Police Force
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-051
2005-06
2006-07


Central
3,167
3,287
3,563
4,060
3,816
4,477


Dumfries and Galloway
1,272
1,524
2,127
2,231
1,939
2,132


Fife
3,710
3,985
4,264
5,919
5,637
5,982


Grampian
6,423
5,800
5,908
7,854
8,322
8,288


Lothian and Borders
12,226
10,994
10,531
13,393
13,292
15,082


Northern
2,562
2,704
2,901
3,580
3,517
3,973


Strathclyde
28,390
28,965
30,012
39,422
37,290
38,956


Tayside
4,327
4,351
4,674
4,027
4,788
5,802


Scotland
62,077
61,610
63,980
80,486
78,601
84,692



  Note: 1. Figures from 2004-05 onwards shows the impact of the implementation of the Scottish Crime Recording Standard, which was expected to increase the numbers of minor crimes – including minor assault – recorded by the police.

Ports and Harbours

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what fees are paid by CalMac Ferries Ltd for access to ports and harbours owned and managed by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltd are currently paying £110,583.33 per month to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd in harbour access fees for the use of the port and harbour facilities owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for interdicts with power of arrest attached have been pronounced under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland ) Act 2001 in each year since its enactment, broken down by sheriff court district if available or sheriffdom.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many actions under the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001 proceeded to a power of arrest in each year since its enactment, broken down by sheriff court district if available or sheriffdom.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Private Partnerships

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to abolish public private partnerships as a means of funding capital projects.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the public private partnership initiative will end.

John Swinney: We said before the elections that PPP could continue as one of several delivery options open to public sector bodies. These are complex procurements involving high procurement costs for both public and private sector participants. Some procurements have been in process for many months, and we do not want to incur even higher costs and possibly delay key investments in infrastructure.

  We will introduce an alternative funding mechanism, a Scottish Futures Trust, to deliver better, more efficient infrastructure for taxpayers. Work is underway on the design aspects of the Scottish Futures Trust, and following consultations with public and private sector interests, a further announcement will be made.

Public Sector

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the use of flexible working in the public sector.

John Swinney: As an employer, flexible working has formed a key part of the government’s Diversity Strategy, Positive about You , since its launch in November 2000 and it is our aim to ensure that staff are able to enjoy a satisfactory work-life balance. To this end, we introduced the opportunity for all staff to apply to work a flexible pattern in June 2003. In addition, all staff, except a small number who work shifts, are able to participate in the government’s flexible working hours scheme.

  Of course there is a lot more to be done in terms of encouraging flexible working where appropriate across the public sector. The Scottish government is not in a position to direct other public bodies but is aiming to lead by example. This is important because flexible working touches on a number of policy areas where it has the potential to deliver a range of benefits (e.g. any reduction in commuting has a positive impact on the environment and on transport infrastructure; there may be potential for smaller offices and reduced heating bills and so on).

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has received concerning the costs involved in the electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow rail line.

Stewart Stevenson: In June 2007, Network Rail’s GRIP Stage 1 report into the proposed electrification of the Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley line was published by Transport Scotland. The report summaries the key issues by engineering discipline, provides a high level programme and estimates of likely costs to +/- 50% quality. It estimates the cost of electrifying the core route at £124.9 million, with the total package (which includes electrifying the additional three diversionary routes, as detailed in the report) being estimated at £264.9 million. Electrification of the Edinburgh to Glasgow line is now being considered as part of the wider work of improving reliability, reducing journey times and providing capacity for the expected continuing growth in rail passenger numbers on this route. The results of this will be reported in September.

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Network Rail regarding the maintenance of track and signalling for the Waverley railway line; whether the annual costs have been identified, and by what mechanism these costs would be met.

Stewart Stevenson: The promoter has indicated to the Scottish Executive that no discussions have taken place with Network Rail regarding the maintenance of track and signalling for the Waverley railway line. However, The Scottish Executive understands that early discussions between the promoter and Network Rail’s predecessor Railtrack did take place in 2002 where indicative maintenance costs were presented to the promoter by Railtrack. At this stage of the project the partner who might undertake the development has not been identified and need not be Network Rail.

  Transport Scotland is continuing a due-diligence review of the Borders railway as it prepares to take on the role of Authorised Undertaker for the railway, a role that it is assuming at the behest of the previous administration. Until this exercise is complete, it is not prudent to speculate on the validity of the original estimated maintenance costs of track and signalling, and by what mechanism these costs would be met.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make an announcement regarding the proposed dynamic loop on the Glasgow to Carlisle rail line.

Stewart Stevenson: Feasibility work is expected to be concluded in October and announcements will be made thereafter.

Rail Network

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered reopening any parts of the former rail network, other than through those schemes presently being pursued, and, if so, which parts.

Stewart Stevenson: We keep the rail network under review and we are aware of a number of aspirations for reopening parts of the network, but have no plans beyond those schemes already being pursued.

Rail Services

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rail passenger numbers were in (a) 1950, (b) 1960, (c) 1970, (d) 1980 and (e) each year since 1990.

Stewart Stevenson: The numbers of rail passenger journeys originating in Scotland in each year from 1960 (calendar year) to 2004-05 (financial year) were published by the Scottish Executive in December 2006 in Table H1 of Scottish Transport Statistics number 25, 2006 edition , a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 41474). The corresponding figure for the 2005-06 financial year is 78.1 million. Figures for years prior to 1960 are not available.

Rail Services

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it or its agencies has in setting rail fares.

Stewart Stevenson: Following the Railways Act 2005, Scottish ministers are responsible for fares regulation in Scotland. The current structure of fares in Scotland is a mix of regulated and unregulated fares. Scottish ministers can restrict the permitted increase on regulated fares while unregulated fares are set by the operator. Responsibility for setting regulated fares on cross-border services rests with the Secretary of State for Transport.

Recycling

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of non-clinical waste is recycled at hospitals in Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

Recycling

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies are in place to promote recycling in the National Health Service.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s Health Directorate has an Environmental Management Policy for NHSScotland which imposes a number of mandatory requirements on NHSScotland bodies (this includes all health boards, Special Health Boards and NHS National Services Scotland). In terms of this policy all these bodies must have in place an environmental management policy statement which commits each health board to comply with all environmental obligations and is consistent with and supportive of the Scottish Executive’s sustainable development objectives as contained within Choosing Our Future: Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy.

  To reinforce the Scottish Government strategy on recycling one of the mandatory requirements of the NHSScotland Environmental Management Policy is that each board "must include targets for the reduction of clinical, special and other waste arisings and identify, where practicable, re-use, recycling and recovery opportunities."

Regeneration

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-92 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what actions it plans to take to ensure that the land use framework promotes sustainable economic development.

Stewart Stevenson: The government’s top priority is increasing sustainable economic growth to create a more successful country. A modern, up-to-date planning system is critical to achieving that objective. Sustainable growth requires development, and the role of planning is to ensure that this development is encouraged and managed in a sustainable way.

  The passage of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 was the first step in a modernisation process aimed at creating a more efficient, inclusive and sustainable planning system that is fully fit for purpose.

  This modernisation will improve the efficiency of the planning system to allow the investment we need to grow the economy and create jobs and opportunities for all. They will also ensure that our commitments to sustainable development remain at the centre of everything we do.

Regeneration

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-92 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what actions it plans to take to use land use planning as an instrument to encourage and support regeneration.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainable growth of Scotland’s economy and the planning system plays a vital role in delivering this through the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the development planning structures. The NPF identifies the Clyde Corridor as an area where major change is already occurring and the scale and complexity of the issues to be addressed means that co-ordination is needed in the national interest. The Planning etc (Scotland) Act puts the National Planning Framework on a statutory basis. A revision of the NPF is currently underway. Stakeholders and the public will be able to participate throughout the process and the final draft will be subject to scrutiny in Parliament.

Renewable Energy

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given any consideration to the potential release of CO 2 from peat as a consequence of a major road building project, such as that required across the Barvas Moor peatlands by the building of an industrial scale wind farm at that location.

John Swinney: There is uncertainty about how much carbon dioxide will be released from peat in response to it being disturbed by, for example, the construction of a road or a wind farm, particularly the long-term effects. For this reason the Scottish Government intends to fund a research project to improve our knowledge in this area and, more specifically, to review and revise the way carbon "payback" times for wind farms are currently calculated using a methodology published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 2000. The Scott Environment Protection Agency and SNH will be working with us on this research project. It is planned that revised guidelines will be published and available by the end of 2007.

  In terms of the proposed development at Barvas Moor, the developer submitted an addendum (in December 2006) which provided details on the carbon balance associated with construction (including road building) on peat. In accordance with the relevant legislative and planning obligations, Scottish ministers will consider all material issues when determining section 36 consent applications in Scotland.

Roads

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support studies of transport connectivity along the Clyde waterfront, particularly appraisal of the proposed North Clyde Development Route and the steps necessary to ease traffic flows at the Kilbowie roundabout on the A82.

Stewart Stevenson: Any studies conducted in connection with the construction of the North Clyde Development Route are a matter for West Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council as the relevant local roads authorities. They may also wish to seek funding contributions for such studies from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, the strategic transport body for the area.

Roads

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what average number of vehicles per day used each trunk road currently operated by Transport Scotland in each year since 1980.

Stewart Stevenson: The measure of traffic flow on trunk roads is the annual average daily flow (AADF). Complete figures are only available from 2000 onwards. The minimum and maximum AADF for each trunk road in Scotland between 2000 and 2006 is as follows.

  

Route
2000
2001
2002
2003


Min
Max
Min
Max
Min
Max
Min
Max


A1
5,082
42,767
5,234
44,040
4,578
47,596
4,775
44,267


A7
1,874
8,849
1,644
9,051
1,803
10,769
1,722
9,006


A8
16,365
69,704
8,005
69,382
9,139
72,574
9,175
68,499


A9
1,560
27,513
1,609
37,276
1,277
31,234
1,308
31,703


A68
2,808
8,949
2,351
15,605
2,418
17,689
2,766
16,371


A74
1,349
1,349
1,359
1,359
1,329
1,329
1,297
1,346


A75
3,792
16,577
3,440
15,776
4,226
18,557
3,634
19,207


A76
2,521
19,296
2,329
18,923
2,486
20,461
2,708
23,963


A77
2,895
37,049
2,937
37,964
3,029
39,888
2,576
41,206


A78
6,545
29,576
3,674
29,405
7,730
29,580
7,137
29,322


A80
23,288
23,288
N/A
N/A
24,601
60,234
26,186
104,175


A82
2,141
27,592
2,275
26,034
110
30,028
2,179
30,635


A83
2,072
5,251
2,288
5,690
2,423
6,368
1,916
6,499


A84
8,534
8,534
3,505
8,525
3,988
9,351
2,081
9,441


A85
3,037
6,618
1,520
7,270
1,752
17,181
2,144
18,025


A86
992
3,051
952
952
519
3,351
768
982


A87
262
4,146
18
4,039
609
3,637
1,137
4,851


A90
3,940
37,157
3,859
47,454
3,479
51,222
4,131
40,826


A92
6,092
36,329
341
36,993
5,710
39,708
5,415
40,412


A95
111
4,872
1,752
4,746
1,504
5,028
1,447
5,158


A96
5,954
30,000
5,938
30,723
6,271
31,545
6,316
39,172


A99
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2,006
2,006
1,921
1,921


A701
4,175
19,185
3,673
18,688
4,407
19,390
4,396
20,565


A702
4,380
8,933
3,954
20,216
3,239
20,626
4,525
20,235


A720
15,763
52,999
16,371
55,451
15,728
58,272
17,857
58,722


A725
24,455
45,252
24,605
45,942
21,697
48,247
21,011
48,076


A726
20,496
21,101
14,311
21,139
17,884
33,214
20,804
28,243


A737
9,882
54,920
9,722
56,121
9,892
57,725
8,995
55,277


A738
16,099
16,099
16,097
16,097
16,567
16,567
15,977
15,977


A751
1,282
1,282
1,297
1,297
1,360
1,360
1,388
1,388


A828
1,306
4,059
1,976
1,976
1,699
5,738
1,813
4,950


A830
809
7,177
535
6,663
739
7,169
868
7,746


A835
1,331
7,990
845
9,063
1,391
8,793
1,515
9,010


A876
23,704
24,371
23,660
24,266
23,801
24,078
24,534
25,273


A887
767
767
N/A
N/A
991
991
988
988


A889
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
613
613
658
658


A898
24,415
24,415
24,916
24,916
26,286
26,286
26,510
26,510


A972
26,931
26,931
26,680
26,680
25,852
31,527
21,309
28,632


A977
14,940
14,960
15,116
15,341
8,445
14,747
13,952
14,973


A985
9,664
14,499
9,707
14,779
10,076
14,501
9,584
14,511


A6091
7,154
11,348
4,824
7,427
6,741
10,991
5,763
8,333


A823M
8,133
8,133
8,295
8,295
8,484
8,484
8,706
8,706


M8
3,081
157,436
3,176
153,686
3,461
155,508
3,482
156,782


M9
10,269
48,220
7,348
50,639
10,510
50,831
11,185
52,419


M73
13,588
36,612
10,762
34,112
10,980
34,131
11,070
36,044


M74
2,651
34,756
2,694
41,000
2,628
38,657
2,832
40,277


M77
10,502
28,672
12,596
30,104
11,762
31,301
11,814
31,622


M80
16,220
32,085
16,701
61,069
16,102
60,452
15,656
60,078


M90
6,413
30,926
6,253
31,431
10,201
32,504
12,406
33,826


M876
9,183
30,160
13,582
31,204
15,634
31,692
16,045
33,082



  

 
2004
2005
2006


Route
Min
Max
Min
Max
Min
Max


A1
4,961
52,725
4,372
50,344
5,720
53,112


A7
2,020
13,574
1,901
13,494
1,537
13,600


A8
1,340
36,730
369
40,906
435
41,125


A9
1,208
33,132
1,678
36,425
1,260
34,708


A68
2,501
16,369
2,534
16,972
2,462
65,715


A74
1,404
1,404
1,456
1,456
1,478
1,478


A75
3,333
20,492
4,016
21,828
4,027
31,542


A76
2,965
26,232
2,800
24,440
2,885
22,236


A77
3,017
35,345
2,976
34,771
1,101
39,924


A78
7,382
30,063
6,088
30,107
6,064
28,742


A80
25,951
69,837
26,229
95,372
26,491
74,191


A82 
2,404
34,657
2,183
30,000
2,389
30,093


A83
2,030
6,621
2,118
6,630
2,119
6,222


A84
3,399
9,940
3,465
9,886
3,483
9,632


A85
1,297
18,899
2,185
16,387
2,291
16,209


A86
815
951
1,066
1,256
858
2,923


A87
1,152
4,580
1,187
4,976
1,179
4,241


A90
4,258
41,338
4,723
42,056
3,060
42,349


A92
5,932
40,537
6,208
41,403
6,529
42,998


A95
1,855
5,959
1,494
5,542
1,787
5,693


A96
6,617
39,150
6,677
39,335
6,571
39,458


A99
1,932
1,932
1,942
1,942
2,033
2,033


A701
4,676
21,426
4,833
50,168
4,634
21,061


A702
4,102
20,771
3,802
20,390
2,652
20,861


A720
18,007
63,055
17,483
62,412
10,291
62,895


A725
21,915
47,448
22,846
50,453
22,542
52,731


A726
21,293
27,318
23,423
23,423
25,438
25,438


A737
10,553
60,408
9,265
59,422
9,154
59,454


A738
13,925
13,925
18,682
18,682
19,163
19,163


A751
1,403
1,403
1,443
1,443
1,465
1,465


A828
1,815
4,739
1,902
4,846
1,922
4,876


A830
978
7,795
973
8,165
933
8,013


A835
1,595
9,556
1,610
9,612
1,596
9,934


A876
17,877
25,389
14,898
24,717
15,456
26,031


A887
953
953
963
963
958
958


A889
704
704
679
679
691
691


A898
27,646
27,646
27,040
27,040
32,481
32,481


A972
26,204
29,210
27,382
30,347
26,727
30,473


A977
14,725
15,202
14,619
15,195
15,428
15,895


A985
7,682
14,587
2,847
14,223
2,845
14,520


A6091
8,519
8,519
8,429
13,347
8,883
13,226


A823M
9,073
9,073
9,236
9,236
9,497
9,497


M8
3,756
159,412
3,837
158,872
4,038
151,444


M9
11,157
51,562
11,304
53,869
11,993
54,508


M73
12,023
36,417
11,945
36,199
12,827
39,480


M74
3,173
40,983
3,301
41,693
3,354
43,316


M77
11,537
32,261
12,601
34,186
7,349
36,202


M80
17,983
56,144
17,970
55,986
24,677
55,864


M90
12,411
33,749
9,921
35,608
12,779
57,123


M876
16,445
32,901
15,364
31,324
15,242
33,897



  Transport Scotland has operational responsibility for this matter and can be contacted for further information if required.

Roads

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to complete the dualling of the A1 as far as the border between Scotland and England.

Stewart Stevenson: Future transport investment priorities on the motorway and trunk road network will be considered by the multi-modal Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) which is undertaking an objective, evidence based, review of the existing performance and future requirements of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport networks. The A1 provides one of the cross-border links in the Edinburgh to North East of England transport corridor and the Review will provide an opportunity to consider how journey times can be improved and safety enhanced along this route.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on external advertising in each year since the establishment of the Parliament.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the following answers, which give the spend details of the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive’s Public Information campaigns for the dates requested.

  S1W-26485 - answered on 3 July 2002 providing spend from 1991-1992 to 2001-02.

  S2W-2481 – answered on 22 September 2003 providing spend for 2002-03.

  S2W-15204 – answered on 12 April 2005 providing spend for 2003-04.

  These answers are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Advertising spend on Public Information campaigns for 2004-05 to 2006-07 is published on the Scottish Executive Marketing Unit website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/17963/advertising-marketing.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s energy bill was in the most recent year for which figures are available and what proportion of its energy is sourced from renewables.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information Scottish Water provides to its customers about water efficiency fittings, recycling and rebates on washing machines and water tanks as a way of reducing carbon emissions.

Stewart Stevenson: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to your enquiry directly.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to improved customer service.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to improved delivery of drinking water.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to improved delivery of sewerage services.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to improved trade waste disposal.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to improved environmental protection.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is given in the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 – The Scottish Water (Objectives for 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2010) Directions 2005 , a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38213).

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-97 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 June 2007, what objectives it wishes Scottish Water to deliver in relation to financial management.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Water is required to deliver the objectives set within the financial limits – that is customer charges and lending from ministers – determined by the Water Industry Commission. These figures may be obtained from the Commission’s Final Determination published on 30 November 2005 which is available from their website at: http://www.watercommissioner.co.uk/Documents/src2006/FD/final%20determination.pdf

  Scottish Water’s plans for meeting the Executive’s objectives within the financial limits set are available from its latest delivery plan.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive where any "inadequate water and sewerage capacity is currently restricting new housing developments", as referred to in the SNP’s 2007 manifesto.

Stewart Stevenson: This information is published and updated on an annual basis by Scottish Water. The current document, titled Strategic Asset Capacity and Development Plan 2007-08 is available on their website at: http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/portal/page/portal/SWE_PGP_CONNECTIONS/SWE_CORP_CONNECTIONS .

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take "to remove the barriers which impede investment in water and sewerage infrastructure where this is necessary", as referred to in the SNP’s 2007 manifesto.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of action "to remove the barriers which impede investment in water and sewerage infrastructure where this is necessary", as referred to in the SNP’s 2007 manifesto, and how this will be funded.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2585 on 22 August 2007. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottishparliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set by Scottish Water to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to the Executive’s climate change objectives.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s annual energy bill is and what plans are in place to reduce its energy consumption.

Stewart Stevenson: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked the chief executive to reply to your enquiry directly.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategic objectives ministers have set for Scottish Water and whether these are fully reflected in its corporate plan.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-97 on 1 June 2007. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Sectarianism

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to continue to challenge sectarianism in and around sports grounds.

Stewart Maxwell: As one of the actions in the strategy to tackle sectarianism in football – Calling Full Time on Sectarianism – a nationwide anti-sectarianism weekend of action will take place at SPL football grounds on 24 and 25 November 2007 followed by a four week awareness campaign.

Teachers

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all meetings it has held to discuss the employment of probationary teachers who finished their probationary year in June 2007.

Maureen Watt: Scottish Executive officials have had regular discussions with appropriate stakeholders including education authorities, representatives of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and teachers’ unions and professional associations on the subject of employment opportunities for post induction scheme probationers.

  £9 million additional funding was notified to education authorities on 3 July to employ an additional 300 teachers. Also all Ministers in Education and Lifelong Learning have met with local authorities over the summer period where this issue has been discussed.

Teachers

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with local authorities about probationary teachers since 29 June 2007.

Maureen Watt: In addition to prior oral briefings, a letter was sent to all Directors of Education on 3 July 2007 detailing the additional funding to allow education authorities to employ 300 additional teachers in primarily in pre-school and in primaries 1 to 3 in deprived areas. Also all Ministers in Education and Lifelong Learning have met with local authorities over the summer period where this issue has been discussed.

Teachers

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address any imbalance between undergraduate teacher training places at universities and permanent teaching vacancies in schools.

Maureen Watt: We do not believe there is an imbalance. The aim of the annual teacher workforce planning exercise is to broadly balance the supply and demand for qualified teachers which arise throughout the academic year. We have ambitious plans to increase the number of teachers working in the early years and to reduce P1 to P3 classes to a maximum of 18. These commitments will be reflected in the future workforce planning exercises.

Teachers

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified teachers have been unable to find permanent full-time work at either a primary or secondary school in each year since 2003.

Maureen Watt: Information on the number of newly qualified teachers who sought but were unable to find permanent full-time work in each year since 2003 has not been held centrally.

Transport

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1347 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007, what criteria the review by Transport Scotland considered in relation to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1347 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007, what criteria the review conducted by Transport Scotland applied in considering the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: I announced the outcome of the review of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the criteria assessed in my statement to Parliament on 27 June 2007 ( Official Report Col 1131 ).

  The Aberdeen Crossrail project was not reviewed. The North-East of Scotland Transport Partnership is currently completing feasibility work on this proposal. I understand this will be with Transport Scotland by the end of summer 2007. We will then be able to decide on the future direction of this project.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what annual contribution will be required from the Scottish Executive in each year until 2012-13 for each major transport project if each project proceeds on time and within budget and what total contribution will be required for all transport projects in each of these years.

Stewart Stevenson: Spending plans are set during biennial spending reviews, with the last year of one spending review becoming the first year of the next. Spending Review 2004 revised plans for 2005-06 and set new plans for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

  Work on the current Spending Review 2007 will set out spending plans for financial years 2008-09; 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what significant diversions of planned spend within the transport budget in 2007-08 will result from the review of major transport projects conducted in June 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: The Budget Bill for 2007-08 Financial Year was laid before Scottish Ministers in January 2007, this outlines the spending plans voted by Parliament for the 2007-08 financial year. The Annual Budget Cycle permits revisions to the Budget Bill, the first being the Autumn Budget Revisions and later the Spring Budget Revisions, which are both laid before Parliament.

  Any revisions to the spending plans for 2007-08 resulting from the review of Transport Scotland Major Projects in June 2007 will be reflected in these Budget Revisions.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase in transport spending was in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 relative to the 2004-05 budget and what proportion of this additional expenditure in each year was for construction costs of major transport projects.

Stewart Stevenson: The spending plans for financial years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 were determined as a result of the last Spending Review SSR04 and the spending plans for these financial years were published in Building A Better Scotland: Spending Proposals 2005-08 – Enterprise, Opportunity, Fairness.

  Detailed spending plans for each Portfolio were published in The Scottish Executive Draft Budget 2005-06 (published 15 October 2004).

  As a result of the last Spending Review SSR04, transport spending increased from £883 million in 2004-05 to £1.3 billion by 2007-08.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the cumulative balance of end-year flexibility held at HM Treasury is earmarked to meet the costs of major transport projects.

Stewart Stevenson: All pressures across the Scottish Executive will be reviewed as part of the wider current Scottish Executive Spending Review SSR07.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for Transport Scotland for 2007-08 and whether this has changed from the amount allocated by the previous administration.

Stewart Stevenson: The Budget Bill for 2007-08 Financial Year was laid before Scottish Ministers in January 2007. This outlines the spending plans voted by Parliament for the 2007-08 financial year. The annual budget cycle permits revisions to the Budget Bill, the first being the autumn budget revisions and later the spring budget revisions, which are both laid before Parliament.

  Any revisions to the spending plans for 2007-08 for Transport Scotland will be reflected in these budget revisions.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current standing is of the Clyde Fastlink (phase 1) project.

Stewart Stevenson: My officials are currently having preliminary discussions with Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City Councils and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport regarding the Clyde Fastlink Phase 1 proposals.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of a full feasibility study for the Clyde Fastlink project (phases 1-3).

Stewart Stevenson: Clyde Fastlink proposals are being led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport on behalf of a consortium of councils. Matters relating to feasibility studies is therefore a matter for them.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to improving public transport access to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital from (a) within and (b) outwith greater Glasgow.

Stewart Stevenson: The provision of local bus services is a matter for operators and local transport authorities. The level of First ScotRail train services is specified in the ScotRail Franchise.

  The National Waiting Times Centre Board – the special health board which runs the Golden Jubilee National Hospital – is working closely with local authorities, transport providers and other key stakeholders to ensure that patients, staff and visitors can easily access hospital services. This includes a Strathclyde Partnership for Transport questionnaire to develop future travel plans.

Transport

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s Clyde Fastlink project which aims to deliver a modern, quick reliable transport system to service the Clyde corridor.

Stewart Stevenson: My officials received a presentation on Clyde Fastlink earlier this year, from the consortium led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. They are currently considering the STAG report on Phase 1 of the project, subsequently received.

Transport

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change last met representatives of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

Stewart Stevenson: I met with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Vice Chair David Fagan, at my meeting with the Regional Transport Partnership Chairs on 17 July 2007, and with the Chief Executive, Ron Culley on 22 August 2007.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce red tape for the voluntary sector.

Jim Mather: The Independent Review of Scrutiny, led by Professor Lorne Crerar, is examining how regulation, audit, inspection and complaints are functioning in Scotland’s public services. The review is developing recommendations for a better system of scrutiny which should reduce the burden of regulation on third sector bodies which deliver such services.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to encourage local authorities to provide three-year funding arrangements to voluntary organisations.

Jim Mather: We support the principles of the Scottish Compact, which was explicit that Government should apply best practice in funding and in the administration of grants. We support the practice of three-year funding for the voluntary sector across the public sector and encourage the use of longer term funding agreements, where possible, to provide a stable and efficient operating environment for the sector.

  Within that context, we are considering what more can be done to enable local authorities and voluntary organisations to develop contracts which ensure effective delivery of services while not jeopardising the sustainability of the service provider.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the role of the voluntary sector in delivering public services.

Jim Mather: We recognise the important contribution that third sector bodies can make in delivering public services. In many areas they are already substantial suppliers of service. Overall, it is clear they have capacity to do more and we are considering work to improve commissioning by local authorities and public bodies which should enable third sector bodies to play their full part.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the implementation among local authorities of the principle of full cost recovery for voluntary organisations delivering public services.

Jim Mather: Ministers are clear that all costs for providing a service should be met, and that the third sector should not subsidise, or be expected to subsidise, public services.

  We are committed to working with the sector and local government to ensure all are aware of the consequences of not providing for full cost recovery.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding would be required by local authorities to implement full cost recovery for voluntary organisations delivering public services.

Jim Mather: Local authorities are fully funded to provide services at local level and all organisations should be paid the costs for delivering any given service.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional funds to local authorities to implement the principle of full cost recovery for voluntary organisations delivering public services.

Jim Mather: Organisations should be paid the full costs for providing a service, and we expect local authorities and third sector organisations to conduct suitable negotiations for service delivery that take all costs into account.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the terms and conditions of staff working for voluntary sector public service contractors.

Jim Mather: Voluntary sector organisations are independent of government.

Voluntary Sector

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that terms and conditions of staff working for voluntary sector public service contractors are maintained at the same level as equivalent public sector staff.

Jim Mather: Voluntary sector employers are independent of government. Staff terms and conditions are a matter for staff and the employer, within the boundaries of employment law.

Waterways

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had since May 2007 with British Waterways concerning future funding.

Stewart Stevenson: We are in regular contact with British Waterways about a wide range of matters.

Waterways

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority it will give to financial support for British Waterways during the forthcoming spending review.

Stewart Stevenson: We will use the strategic spending review to set plans that will enable us to fulfil our purpose and achieve our strategic objectives. Future funding of British Waterways will be part of that consideration.